Got broadband cable service - can I use the line for TV Input?

[Pauli]

I recently moved into a house that has Charter Cable broadband internet access (I have been using DSL for the past 2+ years). I just hooked up my computer and Linksys router last night and Web surfing is working great. My computer has a ATI TV Wonder installed and I want to hook it up to watch TV on my system. Can I simply install a splitter on the Cable line and feed one output to the Cable modem and plug the other output directly into my TV Wonder and have it work? (I guess what I am asking is if the TV signal still run through the cable feed).

We also have digital cable TV service installed in a different part of the house. Could that be split and fed into my TV Wonder?

 

[Adul]

some people report a cable signal is present
wortha try

 

[GrumpyMan]

It should work just fine, mine does.

 

[JackBurton]

You are not going to get a digital signal because you'll need a digital cable bozx for that. But if you want to ask CHarter for another digital cable box, yes, you can get a digital signal to your ATI card. If you don't care about a digital signal, you should be able to get a splitter and receive an analog signal and send it to your ATI card. I have Charter and all you need is a splitter, but I don't subscribe to their digital service.

 

[tech]

Yeah you should get some basic cable tv service out of that. I have charter cable internet and tv in the same room and all they did was use a splitter (same types like at radio shack) on my cable line and one goes to the TV and the other to my modem. Nothing really special.

 

[Pauli]

GrumpyMan, tech - thanks, that is encouraging.

JackBurton - yeah, I am not interested in getting the digital signal to my TV Wonder (this surely won't work, will it?).

They ran two lines into my house: one into the living room (for the TV) and one into the office (for broadband). I have no idea if they both carry the same signal or if regular non-digital cable is carried over the same line as the digital.

My hope is that the cable broadcast carries all of the signals through the cable and it's up to the decoder (digital cable box, cable modem, just plain analog cable TV reception, etc.) at the subscriber's end to get the proper signal to the receiving device. Does anyone know if this is the case? If it is, then my TV Wonder will just receive the regular analog cable TV signal if I split the cable and plug one of them directly into the card.

I just got my computer set up yesterday, but I am still unpacking a bunch of crap from the move so I will just try plugging it in when I get the chance.

 

[Tominator]

<< If it is, then my TV Wonder will just receive the regular analog cable TV signal if I split the cable and plug one of them directly into the card. >>



Exactly! In Charter's FAQ you will see this addressed.

 

[NesuD]

Charter installation technician told me the analogue tv signal is present in all cables whether they are used for internet or not (which i have personally verified). He said that it is basically impossible for charter to filter the analogue tv signal without hosing the cable internet. The single caveat being that if you are planning on splitting your cable to modem line be sure that the modem cable is connected to the first split in the line from the outside drop. apparently in many cases connecting the cable modem further than the fist splitter can weaken the signal and cause problems. The tech also said that not all splitters are well suited for this application. He recommended nothing lower than a 1000 mvolt rated splitter. think i got the rating right it was 1000 something anyhow. Most splitters i have seen are 900s.

 

[KK]

Yeah, it works. I got it going into my Radeon7500AIW, with no problems. I did have some trouble though getting it set up initially. I used to have the pc in another room and then I moved it into another and there was some trap or filter type thing on the outside line on the splitter that needed moved to the other line coming in the house. It took some tweekiing but it works.

KK

 

[Pauli]

Thanks guys. I'll pick up a splitter and try it later this week (If I can ever get away from my fiance to spend some time with my system ;-))